Saturday, October 26, 2013

Let The Dolphins Go!!!

27 October 2013

We're enjoying the Solomon Islands, and are planning to travel to some of the smaller islands. I'll continue to blog and post photos as we travel around the country.But I need to say something about the Coconut Café.

Yes, it's in a lovely location.

Yes, they have good food that is reasonably priced.

Yes, it is everything the local guide booklet describes when the Tourist Info Center lists this as a place to go.

What
they've left out is that the owner has captured three wild dolphin, and
holds them in a smallish penned in pool out back. As well as two
Australian pelicans, one with an injured foot and one with clipped
feathers so he won't fly away.

Now,
I understand being a rescue center, where injured animals are nursed
back to health and released. Or maybe the animal has an injury that
prevents their release, so the animal needs to remain in a sanctuary in
order to survive.

But
I do NOT understand capturing perfectly healthy animals and putting
them in a small area just to bring tourists and customers to your
business. This is horrible! Especially when the animals are made to
perform before they are fed. Or when the animals are obviously moping
around their pen, or pushing against the fencing trying to escape.

And while I love seeing animals like dolphins, I want to see them happy. In the wild. In their natural environment. Not penned up in a small swimming pool with salt water.

Apparently
EarthWatch or a similar group came down and lobbied for the release of
these dolphins. They were chased out of the country.

So
short of doing a night-time guerilla
cut-the-fence-and-release-the-dolphins kind of thing, well, all I can do
is boycott this café. And let them know that I'm doing just that. (I
posted a message to that effect on their Facebook page.)

So, Coconut Café, you won't see me again, until you let those dolphins go home to the ocean!!!